Retaining device.



PATENTED 001; 22,1907.

B. BLACKBURN.

RETAINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. so. 1906.

BRUCE BLACKBURN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RETAINING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed November 30, 1906. Serial No. 345.8%).

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRUCE BLACKBURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Retaining Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of retaining devices in which a retaining blade is pivoted in the shaft or body of a pin to be swung into retaining position after. the pin has been inserted sufficiently through a fabric or other material.

It is of the objects of this invention to so construct the device that the pin can be readily inserted and withdrawn without manipulating the retaining blade, said blade affording a degree of resistance to withdrawal after the pin has been inserted, and being adapted to be moved into positive retaining position to positively lock the pin in the inserted position until the retaining blade is turned into position to allow the pin to be withdrawn from the fabric or other material in which it has been locked.

Further objects are to provide against removal from thin and loose fabrics, and to lock the retaining blade in retaining position, provision being made for readily releasing said blade when it is desired to withdraw the pin.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention on exaggerated scale.

Figure 1 is a view of a stick-pin embodying this invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged fragment-a1 sectional views. Line a LC3, Fig. 5 in die-ates the line of section.

Fig. l is a fragmental view of the retaining device disassembled. The shaft is viewed from the left of Fig. 2. The blade and pivot are shown detached. Fig. 5 is a section on line indicated by fi-rt, Figs. 1, 2 and 6. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmental views partly in section, showing the invention in a different form from that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the retaining blade being shown in inserted position in Fig. 6, in ordinary locking position in Fig. 7, and in positively locked position in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is a fragmental view of the retaining device from the left of Figs. 7 and S, the blade being shown in retaining position.

Corresponding parts in the several views are designated by corresponding numerals.

l is the shaft or body of the pin, which may be provided at one end with a head 2 and at the other end with a point 3.

4..- is a longitudinal slot, the ends 5, 6 of which converge toward one side of the shaft and may be the arcs of a circle, said arcs being form ed by cutting the slot in the shaft by means of a circular saw. Said slot terminates at a distance from the point of the pin and is of sufiicient length to house the retaining blade herein after described.

7 is a retaining blade tapering toward its ends and of greater width at its mid-length than the diameter of the shaft 1 at the slotted portion, and having an outcurved projecting edge or swell 8, preferably corresponding in curvature to the curved ends 5, 6 of the slot. The blade 7 is mounted on a pivot 9, which is located at the end of the slot l nearest the point oi the pin and extends through one end of the blade and through the shaft of the pin.

10 is a straight faced heel on the blade 7 to engage the oblique, curved face formed by the end wall 6 of the slot, thereby forming a stop to hold the blade 7 in extended position, as indicated in Figs. 3, 7 and 8. In the latter two views the straight portion 10 at the heel to engage the end wall of the slot, is shown as formed of a portion of the straight edge of the blade. The same serves to engage the end walland'prevent the blade "from unfolding too far when it has been swung to the extended position.

The edge of the swell portion or projection 8 of. the blade is desirably slightly offset or bent to one side at the middle of the blade, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, in order to hold the blade frictionally in folded and in extended position, as the case may be.

11 is a pivot hole at the heel portion of the blade for the pivot 9.

The edge 12 of the blade opposite the swell 8 is preferably straight.

When the blade is in closed position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, it may be started into its open position by pressure of the finger or finger-nail against the protruding swell 8, thereby bringing the free end of the blade outside of its housing in the slot. Said free end is desirably rounded as indicated at 13, so that the blade must be well pushed outward before the pointof the blade will catch on the fabric or material through which the pin has been inserted. Said rounded point is located centrally of the end of the blade so that the point will be housed in the blade when the blade is closed.

In practice, the invention may be applied in any pin by simply sawing the slot 4 through the pin with a circular saw, and then fastening the blade 7 in place with pivot 9. If desired, the end of the slot nearest the point of the pin may be partly or wholly straight ened by inserting a straight saw through the slot and sawing away a greater or less portion of the oblique end wall of the slot.

In Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, the end of the slot nearest the point is straightened throughout a portion thereof on the side of the pin opposite that from which the blade projects when extended, and the pivot-hole 11 is in the form of a slot extending longitudinally of the blade so that when the blade is brought into its open position, as shown in Fig. 7, it can then he slid endwise to bring the flat heel portion 10 into engagement with the straight portion 6 of the end wall of the slot, thereby preventing the blade from being swung into closed position until it shall again have been drawn out in the fully-extended position shown in Fig. '7. Said straight portion 6 of the end Wall is preferably at right angles to the shaft so that the blade when thus locked in po- 'sition will stand at right angles to the shaft.

The blade may be provided with a tooth 14 to engage thin, loose or flimsy material. to afford further security against withdrawing the pin therefrom.

In practical use the pin may be inserted through the fabric or other material in the usual way. it being ordinarily preferable to first bring the blade '7 into its folded position shown in Figs. 1 2 and (i, but in some instances the act of inserting the pin will serve to close the blade and allow the pin to pass through the fabric, though the blade may at the outset be in the extended position shown in Figs. 3 and 7. When the pin has been inserted sufficiently to bring the blade beyond the material into which the pin has been inserted, the user may apply his finger, finger-nail, or other instrument to the projecting portion 8 of the blade andmay push such portion into the shaft sufiiciently far to cause the tip 13 of the blade to project sufliciently from the shaft 1. to catch into the fabric and afford a hold for the finger or finger-nail to swing the blade into its entirelyopen posit-ion whereupon the pin is secured against accidental withdrawal. While in this position the bent edge 8 of the blade engages one wall of the slot and serves as a frictional stop to prevent the blade from being too easily swung into the slot. This construction serves sufficiently for ordinary protection of the pin. Such protection is increased by using the form shown in Figs. 7 and 8, when the blade is shifted into the position shown in Fig. 8. The deflected edge 8 affords frictional resistance to hold the blade 7, 7 in its extended position.

When the user desires to remove the pin that has been locked in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8, he will first move the blade 7 to the left into the position shown in Fig. 7, and will then swing the blade up into the position shown in Fig. (3, whereupon the pin may readily be withdrawn.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, the detent or tooth 14 is housed within the body of the pin, thereby preventing any engagement of the pin on the material to prevent free movement of the pin therein.

Whenever the pin is sufficiently inserted into a scarf, neck-tie, hat. garment, or other article, the portion 8 of the retaining-blade that projects as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, will serve in some degree to resist withdrawal of the pin, even though the blade be allowed to remain in folded position. The blade is preferably of resilient material so as to maintain the required frictional contact.

\Vliat I claim isz- 1. In a pin, in combination, a shaft having a longitudinal slot cut therethrough, said slot terminating at a distance from the point of the pin. and a retaining blade tapering," toward each end and pivoted at one end in said slot, the width of said blade being greater at the middle and less at the ends of the blade than the diameter of the slotted portion of the shaft.

2. In a pin, in combination, a shaft having a longitudinal slot cut therethrongh, said slot terminating at a distance from the point or the pin, and a retaining blade pivoted at one end in said slot, said blade having a swell at one edge near its mid-length. said swell projecting from the slot when the blade is folded.

J). In a pin, in combination, a shaft having a longi tndinal slot therethrough, said slot terminating at a dis tance from the point of the pin, and a retaining blade in said slot, there being a pivot extending through the end of said blade nearest the point of the pin, said pin having at the middle an outcurved edge projecting; from the slot when the blade is folded.

4. In a pin, in combination, a shaft having a longitudinal slot therethrongh, said slot terminating at a distance from the point of the pin, and a retaining blade in said slot. there being a pivot extending through the end of said blade nearest the point of the pin, said blade having an outcuived edge projecting from the slot when the blade is closed, stop means being provided adapted to arrest the free end of said blade with said curved edge projecting from the slot.

5. In a pin, in combination, a shaft having a longi tudinal slot cut therethrough, said slot terminating at a distance from the point of the pin, and a retaining blade pivoted in said slot to swing outwardly therefrom, said blade being slotted to move longitudinally on its pivot into a position locking the same against being folded. I

G. In :1 pin, in combination, a shaft having a longitudinal slot cut therethrough, said slot terminating at a distance from the point of the pin, and having a wall at the end nearest the point of the pin extending at sub stantially right angles to the shaft of the pin, and a blade pivoted in said slot adjacent said wall to swing into and out of the slot, said blade being slidnble a limited distance on its pivot into and from a position in which the heel thereof abuts against said wall to hold the blade in extended position.

7. In a pin, in combination, a shaft having a longi tudinal slot cut therethrongh, said slot terminating at a distance from the point of the pin, and a retaining blade pivoted in said slot, said blade having a swell at one edge, said swell projecting from the slot when the blade is folded, said swell being deflected toward one side of the slot.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles California this 15th day of November 1006.

BRUCE BLACKBURN.

In presence of 

